Updates from the Office of Development

Published on Monday, December 11, 2023

By: Harold Brewer

The University of Mississippi Medical Center's Office of Development supports the UMMC School of Nursing through various funding opportunities. In each issue, we invite you to learn more about alumni gifts, spotlight on a growing scholarship fund, ways to support the school and how to stay connected with the Office of Development. If I can ever help you and/or tell you of an area of needed support, please connect with me at the contact information below.

Building fund naming opportunities

A special thank you to Dr. Sonja R. Fuqua for being the first building fund naming opportunity donor. Fuqua has pledged $50,000 to the new School of Nursing building and has already donated $20,000 towards her pledge.

Fuqua has been an active member of the Nursing Alumni Chapter and the school's Theta Beta Chapter of the Sigma International Nursing Society. In late 2017, she established the Sonja R. Fuqua, Ph.D., R.N. Sigma Theta Tau Endowed Scholarship in Nursing to support our students who are fellow Theta Beta Chapter members.

Listed below, in no particular order, are just some of the naming opportunities that are still available. Commitments may be paid over multiple years, and the start date is flexible. If you would like to speak more about how and where you can leave your legacy in the new building, contact our Gifts Officer, Harold Brewer. Donations can also be made at umc.edu/givenow.

Establishment of the Eloise Lopez-Lambert Scholarship Fund

Assistant Professor Dr. Eloise Lopez-Lambert, DNP, RN, BC, CHSE has donated towards establishing a scholarship fund in her name to the UMMC School of Nursing. The scholarship fund was established to support educational opportunities that improve the delivery of health care in diverse communities, consistent with UMMC's mission. The endowment will benefit SON students who:

• have an interest in improving health outcomes in historically underrepresented populations, including Hispanic and Latinx Americans;
• have overcome obstacles such as socioeconomic or educational disadvantages;
• have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or greater;
• a preference will be given to bilingual students fluent in English and Spanish; and
• other factors to be given priority include graduation from a minority-serving institution, socioeconomically disadvantaged students, and/or students from rural or inner-city areas.

To donate to the newly established Lopez-Lambert Scholarship fund, donations can be made online (designated fund ID 00380), or you can contact Harold Brewer for more information on this fund or any other funds.

Ways to support the SON

New building support

• The new SON building cost is partially covered by $55 million in Coronavirus state and local fiscal recovery funds authorized by the federal American Recovery Plan Act (APRA) and appropriated by the Mississippi Legislature in 2022. UMMC is responsible for raising an additional $10 to $15 million for the building and ongoing programmatic needs. Naming opportunities are available and begin at $10,000.

Programmatic Support

• Nurse Managed Clinic Support: Funding to support capital, personnel and programmatic needs
• Nursing Student Support: With a growing number of first-generation college students, there is an increased need for student support funds to help students from educationally disadvantaged, underrepresented populations. This includes scholarships but also helping with those social determinants of health needs. Currently, there are no funds available to students who need food for money to pay utility bills.

Endowment

• Nursing Student Endowed Funds: Endowed funds provide ongoing support for the school and benefit generations of nursing students. The principal amount is invested, and the interest earned through the principal donation is used to fund ongoing school needs, ensuring the future of the endowment and students.

Scholarship

• Nursing Student Scholarships: Scholarships are important forms of student aid as they navigate their nursing education. With over 800 currently enrolled nursing students, scholarships allow us to meet a critical need in our recruitment and retention efforts. An affordable education is important to solving Mississippi's nursing shortage. Deserving students can receive a quality education with your philanthropic support.

Legacy Gifts

• Through gift planning, you can provide long-lasting support for UMMC SON while enjoying financial benefits for yourself. Below are some ways to leave a lasting legacy for the next generation of nursing leaders.
  • Bequests
  • IRA Charitable Rollover
  • Beneficiary Designation Gifts
  • Charitable Gift Annuity

How to connect

Harold Brewer
Gifts Officer
Institutional Advancement, Office of Development
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2500 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39216
Office: 601-815-3738

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